Incident Command System (ICS)
Incident Command or ICS is an organizational structure that helps different agencies work together to respond to the same emergency. ICS is used to organize and manage all parts of a response effort and is used by all first responders agencies including law enforcement, fire and rescue, public health, and other agencies when responding to an emergency. This structure helps workers understand their role and to whom they report during an emergency. Some common features of ICS include:
- Temporary – ICS is only used for the duration of the response and the recovery effort.
- Clear Chain of Command – One person is in charge. This reduces confusion and allows communication to flow smoothly and makes managing the crisis easier.
- Flexibility – It can be adapted to any size emergency, whether it be a small flu clinic or a multi-state bioterrorist incident.
- Standardization – Uses standardized roles and responsibilities, forms and reports and terminology.
